There they go again
Friday, 06 07, 2002

Even without identifying the source, the video clip to the media which had one Kyle Latimer, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent, reporting on the dollar accounts of Sen. Panfilo Lacson, was, without a doubt, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) chief Reynaldo Wycoco.

For who else would have had it except the FBI's counterpart, the NBI? And who would have the wherewithal to get some reporters together in a “secret meeting” where the tape was viewed, except for Wycoco?

But why was the “report” leaked out to the media and in such a “furtive” manner? Was it done to get the Senate coup out of the media picture?

Why couldn't this wait? Why couldn't an official report with all the evidence to substantiate charges be presented first, so the courts could be the judge? The idea obviously was to carry out a trial and conviction of Lacson via publicity, knowing that even as the video report was completely useless as evidence against Lacson on charges of money-laundering or drug trafficking or kidnapping.

For one, Latimer and the other two unidentified agents, were not placed under oath. For another, whatever Latimer reported in that tape was clearly not substantiated. He says, for instance that “there are sure accounts (but) far fewer than initial reports and I believe there are three to four accounts but far less money. I think he has, in one account, $200,000,” adding, there “is no record of millions (of dollars) having gone through (Lacson's accounts).”

There was no mention of whether the accounts are active, dormant or closed, or even if these “sure” accounts are in Lacson's name or a firm's name.

Then, too, what is odd is that this “report” does not even establish any evidence of the truth of the FBI agents' statements as they are not categorical. Latimer believes? Latimer thinks Lacson has, in one account, $200,000, but is, however, certain that no record of millions of dollars going through any of these accounts, which he has not even identified exists?

One agent was asked if Lacson had claimed any type of naturalization and if he has a green card. An unidentified agent replied Lacson had lost his residency several years ago while another said Lacson has no green card and that he had filed false information and application several years ago. Yet Lacson can come in and out of the US to this day?

Just what kind of a report is this, being given to the NBI by the FBI? Obviously it was not an official report, but one that is meant to place Lacson in a bad light, which is what Wycoco, the DoJ officials and Malacañang intended all along.

True to the kind of media we have, the story was played up in the frontpages of the newspapers, with just one slant: Lacson has $200,000 in a US bank account.

Big deal, considering that this amount at the time it was opened, was probably worth some P4 million then, which was reportedly front money to open a business in the US.

So what happened to the claims of Wycoco and DoJ Secretary Hernando Perez and military spy chief Col. Victor Corpus, who had accused Lacson of having hundred of millions in dollars stashed in US banks? Does that matter to the pro-Gloria media or the NBI and DoJ and even Gloria since the idea is to destroy Lacson?

Have our Justice department and NBI gone this low and deliberately provide misleading information to politically destroy an opposition figure who poses a threat to Gloria's bid for the presidency in 2004?

One wonders whether the US government realizes just how the Philippine government officials utilize “information” from FBI agents culled from a meeting with Wycoco and present this as “evidence” in an effort to destroy politically a foe of Gloria?

Such a videotape “report” would have been binned by the US Department of Justice, because this wouldn't even stand in court on charges of money-laundering or even drug trafficking.

The irony of it all is that the FBI “report,” shoddy as it is, serves to clear Lacson of the charges hurled at him by the military intelligence chief, Gloria, Perez and Wycoco, who claimed before local media they have proof from the FBI that Lacson had millions of dollars in a bank account, enough to charge the senator with plunder.

But the way Gloria officials frame a crime on political foes makes one really wonder just how many trumped up charges they have come up with just to get these political foes in jail, without bail.

Their behavior is too shameful for words.

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